Rathod set himself up as a sponsor for people entering the country pretending to be religious workers.

He initially brought his parents to the UK in 2006.

The judge said: “It is clear from that time that you saw an opportunity to do this on a much larger scale involving a large number of migrants, sensing as you did the rich rewards you could reap from it.”

Rathod then set up two charities, The Guru Nanak Mission UK and The Sri Guru Nanak Jot Parkash Sikh Society.

He charged large sums of money to Indian nationals to get them into the UK.

A total off 188 migrants entered the country illegally under Rathod’s deception, between 2008 and 2013.

The jury heard when police and immigration officials carried out a dawn raid at his business premises on Featherstone Lane they found £26,000 in cash in a brief case.

Banking records showed £594,000 had passed through his account or those of his wife and sister-in-law.

At another property in Old Lane, Birkenshaw, stamps were found which had been used to give authenticity to bogus documents, including one from New Delhi Airport, a solicitor’s office and educational establishments which did not exist.

He had computers installed with programmes which could incorporate logos for the Home Office and Barclays Bank.